Jose Mourinho has issued a plea with football's governing bodies not to consider banning all managers from the touchline in the wake of Alan Pardew's infamous headbutt.
The Chelsea boss is good friends with the Newcastle United manager and spoke with him shortly after his ill-advised assault on Hull City's David Meyler.
Pardew was fined £100,000 by his club and has accepted a charge from the FA that will bring further punishment, but Mourinho believes they should resist calls to examine whether managers should be kept away from the action.
“I don't think it's needed,” Mourinho said.
“I've never had a problem to share a space with other managers. In many stadiums it looks like it's only one dugout for everybody and I don't think that's a problem, really.
“I think a manager should have that freedom to come out and speak with the players and to walk in the technical area. In other sports they can even use larger areas.
“I think the problem is the human nature. Human nature is open to mistakes. I have made mistakes in technical areas too and I paid for the mistake. I was suspended for the mistake.”
The Blues' boss added: “Was it a mistake that we were not used to seeing? Yes, but he [Pardew] going to pay for it.
“I think the biggest punishment is not the money, it's not the matches you are outside [suspension] – the biggest punishment is you recognise yourself that you made a mistake. That's the worst punishment.”
